Wiki: env_render

env_render - Point Entity

The env_render entity allows you to change the rendering properties of most of the visible entities in the game (monsters, func_walls etc.), while the map is running. The four render properties of the env_render will be copied to its target. Exactly how different entities are affected by different render properties varies, so only general information about them will be provided below. If you require more specific information, check the entity guide page for the entity you want to alter.

Attributes

Render FX (renderfx) - Gives the entity certain visual effects depending on Render Mode and the target entity type [Brush/Model/Sprite]:
- Normal (0) - No visual effects.
- Slow Pulse (1) - Entity slowly pulses with transparency. Faint. [B/M/S]
- Fast Pulse (2) - Entity quickly pulses with transparency. Faint. [B/M/S]
- Slow Wide Pulse (3) - Entity slowly pulses with transparency. Strong. [B/M/S]
- Fast Wide Pulse (4) - Entity quickly pulses with transparency. Strong. [B/M/S]
- Slow Fade Away (5) - Seemingly unused.
- Fast Fade Away (6) - Seemingly unused.
- Slow Become Solid (7) - Seemingly unused.
- Fast Become Solid (8) - Seemingly unused.
- Slow Strobe (9) - A very slow strobe effect between visible and invisible. [B/M/S]
- Fast Strobe (10) - A medium strobe effect between visible and invisible. [B/M/S]
- Faster Strobe (11) - A very fast strobe effect between visible and invisible. [B/M/S]
- Slow Flicker (13) - Entity flickers in and out of visibility. [B/M/S]
- Fast Flicker (13) - Entity quickly flickers in and out of visibility. [B/M/S]
- Constant Glow (14) - Used with Glow render mode to cancel the mode's dissipation effect. [S]
- Distort (15) - Entity has a slight fast pulsing of transparency. [B/M/S]
- Hologram (Distort + fade) (16) - Entity has a slight fast pulsing of transparency. Fades out with distance. [B/M/S]
- Bulge Sideways (18) - [undocumented] Animates model to become wide, which loops (frozen animation stays wide). Same effect as monster_gargantua dying. [M]
- Glow Shell (19) - [undocumented] Applies Quake-like aura effect to models. FX Color specifies the glow colour, and FX Amount specifies glow offset. [M]

Render Mode (rendermode) - Allows special rendering modes to be applied to the given entity. Varies greatly with different types of entities [Brush/Model/Sprite]:
- Normal (0) - Standard rendering. Render FX and FX Amount will generally have no effect.
- Color (1) - For brush entities, replaces texture with pure colour from FX Color. Counter-intuitively for sprites, FX Color works for all other modes except color. No effect on models. [B]
- Texture (2) - Usually allows the entity to become transparent. [B/M/S]
- Glow (3) - Usually allows the entity to become transparent. Intended for sprites, and has further effects with them. [S]
- Solid (4) - Usually allows the entity to become transparent. [B]
- Additive (5) - Usually gives the entity an additive effect. [B/M/S]

FX Amount (1 - 255) (renderamt) - In all but "Normal" Render Mode, usually sets the opacity of the entity. Ranges from 0 (invisible) to 255 (solid, normal).

FX Color (R G B) (rendercolour) - With sprites, sets the solid colour (additive) or tints the sprite (alphatest). With brush entities with Color render mode, sets the solid colour of the entity. No effect on models.

Target (target) - Defines the name of the entity the rendering properties will be copied to.

Name (targetname) - Name is a general attribute used to identify entities.

Flags

No Renderfx (1) - If enabled, the Render FX attribute will not be copied to the target entity.
No Renderamt (2) - If enabled, the FX Amount attribute will not be copied to the target entity.
No Rendermode (4) - If enabled, the Render Mode attribute will not be copied to the target entity.
No Rendercolor (8) - If enabled, the FX Color attribute will not be copied to the target entity.

Notes

This entity can be used to alter render properties on the fly. Among other uses, this can allow you to create the illusion of complex-moving objects that would be impossible to create with a single entity. By rendering visually identical entities visible/invisible at the same time, you could, for example, have a func_rotating door handle rotate downwards as though to open a door, then switch its visibility with another identical door handle already in the same position that can then rotate with the door.

From the VERC Archive

Usage

The simplest example involves creating a crate that you make disappear -

Create a crate (func_wall) and give it a Name (targetname) of crate1.
Place an env_render in your level, near the crate. Give it a Name of crate1_render. Set its target to crate1. Set its render mode to 'texture' (2), and its fx amount to '0'.
Create a func_button and set its target to crate1_render.

When the button gets pressed, the crate disappears. Note that you could use a multi_manager and a string of env_render entities to make the crate gradually fade out of existence rather than disappear suddenly.

This effect is useful for creating the illusion of entities that are bound together in some impossible way (at least for the engine). For example, if you wanted a tank to drive onto a field then start firing, that would seem to imply a func_train (for the movement) and a func_tank (for the firing) being bound together. Instead, the func_tank was always sitting on the field, but it started invisible. When the func_train drove out to the func_tank position, two things happen - the func_train is triggered invisible (as the above crate example), and the func_tank is triggered to be visible.

Note: in the above example with the tanks, its important to restrict the player from interacting with the "invisible tank" as this would ruin any sense of illusion that has been created.

Relationship by model type

The following are tables of how render properties interact with each other.

Brush model (brush entity)

Render Mode	Render Amount	Render Color	Bullet decal	Lightmap	Alpha Transparency
Normal (0)	–	Scroll speed	Solid	✔	Black, opaque
Color (1)	Opacity	Colour	None	❌	Opaque
Texture (2)	Opacity	Scroll speed	Glass	❌	Transparent
Glow (3)	Opacity	Scroll speed	Glass	❌	Transparent
Solid (4)	Fully opaque if >0	Scroll speed	None	✔	Transparent
Additive (5)	Opacity	Scroll speed	Glass	❌	Transparent

Notes:

In color mode, the entity will be of a pure colour as set in FX Color on screen with opacity as in FX amount. All other features – decals, lightmaps, textures – are removed.
Bullet decals are determined based on render mode at time of impact and remains unchanged as the mode changes.
Solid mode will have no decal whatsoever; even existing decals will be removed if the mode is changed to solid.
Render Color encodes scroll speed for faces with scroll* textures. See func_conveyor page for more info. Otherwise it has no other effect in non-color mode.
In modes that don't apply lightmaps, VHLT supports zhlt_embedlightmap property which bakes the lightmaps onto the individual face's textures. See Tutorial: The Complete Guide to Lighting, Section 3.8 for more info.

Render FX	Normal	Color	Texture	Glow	Solid	Additive	Remarks
Normal (0)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
*Pulse effects (1-4)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌	✔
*Fade effects (5-6)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Solid effects (7-8)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Strobe effects (9-11)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
*Flicker effects (12-13)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Constant Glow (14)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Distort (15)	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌	✔
Hologram (16)	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌	✔	Fader than distort
Bulge Sideways (18)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Glow shell (19)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Studio model

Render Mode	Render Amount	Render Color
Normal (0)	–	–
Color (1)	Opacity	–
Texture (2)	Opacity	–
Glow (3)	Opacity	–
Solid (4)	Opacity	–
Additive (5)	Opacity	–

Render FX	Normal	Color	Texture	Glow	Solid	Additive	Remarks
Normal (0)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
*Pulse effects (1-4)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
*Fade effects (5-6)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Solid effects (7-8)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Strobe effects (9-11)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
*Flicker effects (12-13)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Constant Glow (14)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Distort (15)	✔	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	[Note 1]
Hologram (16)	✔	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	[Note 1]
Bulge Sideways (18)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	[Note 2]
Glow shell (19)	✔	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	✔*	[Note 3]

Notes:

Modes other than normal has additional opacity distortions.
Loops (frozen entities are stuck in wide mode).
FX Amount also controls offset of glow aura from model, clashing with non-normal render modes.

Sprites

Render Mode	Render Amount	Render Color	Black part of additive sprites
Normal (0)	No effect	Tint colour	Opaque
Color (1)	No effect	No effect	Opaque
Texture (2)	Opacity	Tint colour	Opaque
Glow (3)	Opacity	Tint colour	Transparent
Solid (4)	Opacity	Tint colour	Opaque
Additive (5)	Opacity	Tint colour	Transparent

Render FX	Normal	Color	Texture	Glow	Solid	Additive	Remarks
Normal (0)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
*Pulse effects (1-4)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
*Fade effects (5-6)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Solid effects (7-8)*	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
*Strobe effects (9-11)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
*Flicker effects (12-13)*	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Constant Glow (14)	–	–	–	–	✔	–	[Note 1]
Distort (15)	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Hologram (16)	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Bulge Sideways (18)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Glow shell (19)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Notes:

Cancels out glow mode's distance-based dissipation effect. No special effects otherwise.

Example maps

VERC Archive: render1.zip

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env_render Last edited 4 months ago2024-08-06 07:12:56 UTC

env_render - Point Entity

Attributes

Flags

Notes

Usage

Relationship by model type

Brush model (brush entity)

Studio model

Sprites

Example maps

Comments